For the first time EVER the mystical, incredible, beautiful Natasha Khan graced Australian shores, brought out as part of the Vivid Live festival. Ranked as one of the top 5 acts I’ve always wanted to see, expectations were high and happily I can report she did not disappoint!

It was a total feast for the senses. Gnarly trees and lanterns adorned the stage. Spooky black and white visuals played in the background. Her band (including amazing New Young Pony Club drummer Sarah Jones) and a trendy looking string quartet were all faultless.

With two critically acclaimed albums under her belt Khan wasted no time diving into her earlier work (much to my delight), dancing across the stage in her voluminous Romance Was Born ensemble shaking a tambourine and wowing us with that voice.. It’s some incredible combination of equal parts Björk, Kate Bush and Cat Power, yet it has an exquisite and unmistakable tone that is completely unique. She was pitch perfect and totally captivating.

As she moved onto her newer songs we wrongly assumed she would be withdrawn and insular for the whole show, when in fact she was the exact opposite… warm and completely genuine, she chatted much like an excitable school girl throughout the performance. She even orchestrated the whole crowd up to dance for a few of her more upbeat tracks, breathlessly exclaiming “well that was fun!”

The show was over in what felt like a heartbeat. But the encore was totally incredible: with only strings as her backing track she covered Radiohead’s melancholy All I Need, Depeche Mode’s classic Strangelove, The Cure’s Lullaby, followed by a hauntingly beautiful rendition of the Johnny Mathis classic Wild Is the Wind and finished with my favourite Peter Gabriel song Solsbury Hill.

Witnessing one of just two shows she will play this year – I felt incredibly touched by her spirit and privileged to bear witness to her breathtaking talents. Bring on album #3!

Bat For Lashes’ albums Fur & Gold and Two Suns are now available digitally and physically worldwide.

Two words peoples: Scott and Walker. Who the hell?? I will give you a clue… David Bowie covered about three of his songs and has influenced a few minor artists such as Radiohead, Brian Eno, Sting, STINGGG!!!! STIINGGGGGGGGG, Jarvis Cocker, and Goldfrapp.

He’s arguably one of the greatest voices of our time, originally started in the 60’s, and eventually put down his guitar to sing lead vocals for a B-side, as a result the song became an instant hit in the UK which lead to huge successes for the Walker Brothers career.

He then went solo, where he had an array of hits until he eventually “lost touch with the youth” after Scott IV (yes that’s the name of the album, it was 1969 so don’t be a hater). With his cool factor almost over and still in his 20’s his record company gave him no choice but to spend the next 10 years performing his back catalogue of old and new pop songs, releasing an array of average pop albums which to this day Scott will not allow to be re-released. This 10 year period in his life drove him to depression and a change in musical style that would make him the artist he is today.

Who cares?? Well David Bowie sure does because he just made a documentary about it called Scott Walker 30th Century Man. Here is the preview for it:

…and to give you a taste of the voice that influenced David Bowie here are some YouTube songs I found. Never mind the imagery but this song chosen is one of my favourites, and please keep in mind along with one of the most unusual voices in the world he writes all the music, all the string arrangements, all vocal melody’s and lyrics, EVERYTHING!! Kind of like a 60/70’s Prince:

• Scott Walker – The Electrician
• And this is from his latest 2007 album (!Warning! very different): Scott Walker – Cossacks Are

Now we move forward to Bat For Lashes and Two Suns. This blows my mind every time I listen to it. There are few times I actually dance, and to add to that, dancing and singing at the same time… never!!! However, I find myself bouncing around the office singing the words Daniel which again is very foreign for me… but I keep telling myself… “it’s about Karate Kid, its cool man, its cool!” Now I eventually get to the last track on the album The Big Sleep: a very simple piano song. Its simplicity yet intensity gives me chills, and the effect she put on the piano gives the track a strong 20th century feel that makes me think Kate Bush meets Johann Sebastian Bach… and who’s that singing guest vocals on that last track… who???? Mr. SCOTT WALKER himself.

So the point of my little rant is, if Scott Walker is jamming with Natasha Khan she not only has her shit together, but she is making a bold statement by featuring a legend like him on her new album instead of some T-Pain-I’m-on-a-boat-flavour-of-the-month-Chris-Brown-Rianna-money-making-marketing-idea-for-the-headlines-and-all-the-mini-skirts-of-the-world. Rather, this statement speaks volumes for her respect for those who have come before, quality musicianship, her love for the underground and passion for original quality musicians, rare these days.

RESPECT NATASHA RESPECT!!

For we unfortunate many not at Lollapalooza ‘09, you can watch the live stream at http://iclips.net/lollapalooza2009.php

Well worth checking out – including live streamed performances from Bat For Lashes, Ben Harper & Relentless 7, Animal Collective, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Jane’s Addiction (for those us us who recently found ourselves Jane-less in Oz). Currently watching Perry Farrel – in what appears to be gold sparkling leather flares – run around stage with Joe Perry of Aerosmith, against a magic Chicago skyline… *sigh*…

Luckily we have InSoundian Tara on-ground at Lolla, so we’ll have full reports soon!

More Bat For Lashes on screen… This can only ever be a good thing.

In her brand new video for Pearl’s Dream, Natasha Khan appears to be channeling Brandon Flowers with feathered shoulder pads and a full spandex leotard (dare I say Natasha pulls it off with more flair). BFL is watched from afar by her alter-ego the platinum blonde Pearl, while she floats around her own solar system and pets a panting wolf. A little creepy, can’t be denied, but magnetic nonethless.

The clip was directed by award-winning music video director Nima Nourizdah (Santigold, Franz Ferdinand).

Bat For Lashes aka Natasha Khan knows to take her stripped velvety voice, add the tambourine and take an overplayed track and make it enjoyable all over again.

Visiting the BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge studios recently to promote her new album Two Suns, Natasha covered Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody adding more cool to the cool factor that is Bat For Lashes.

Bat For Lashes

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Photo by alterna2

I’ve always maintained that Bat For Lashes AKA Natasha Khan is a Goddess. Not that anybody would disagree… apart from having seriously dodged the ugly stick, Bat For Lashes creates some of the most heart-wrenching, sexy, and haunting tunes around today.

After blowing us away with her debut album Fur and Gold (the one with incredibly cool/creepy/Donnie Darko-esque video for What’s a Girl To Do), Bat For Lashes is back with Two Suns. The first track out is Daniel, which upon an initial listen and watch seems to be a lament for teen-love-angst, hoodie and all. And that opening string loop… wow.

Two massive selling points thus far: Yeasayer provided the beats for Two Suns, and Natasha closes the album with a duet with Scott Walker (just for that tiny bit of creepy whimsy in case you hadn’t had your fill).

Can’t wait to get it on high rotation and get out the glitter paint.